1
as in hissed
to make a sound like that of stretching out the speech sound \s\
with their satin costumes swishing, the little ballerinas chasséd onto the stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in flapped
to move from side to side or up and down with quick jerky motions
the horse's tail swishes after every jump
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of swished
Allen swished a 3 with two seconds to spare.
—
Doug Haller, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Jamar Brown swished a 3-pointer from the corner and scored a layup off an inbound pass.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026
Anthony Edwards became the third-youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career points, when the Minnesota Timberwolves star swished a 13-foot fadeaway jumper from the baseline midway through the fourth quarter against Cleveland on Thursday night.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
The sophomore forward swished back-to-back three-pointers to kick off the second half at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock.
—Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 9 Dec. 2025
The ball swished through the net at the buzzer.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Dresses swished and dress shoes clacked against the floor as couples danced for bragging rights in one of the biggest celebrations of Black culture in KC.
—Alexa Stone
updated October 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2025
There was plenty of experimentation, too, seen via the shimmering tops in punchy shades like Big Bird yellow and flaming vermilion red, and the tinsel skirts that swished in all directions as models walked to a custom soundtrack by the British artist Steve McQueen.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025
The video of serene waves that swished behind the curved stage at the start of Dua Lipa’s concert slowly intensified until the tide became a surge, an appropriate analogy for the pop superstar’s arrival in the US for the first time in more than three years.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
Doug Haller, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Jamar Brown swished a 3-pointer from the corner and scored a layup off an inbound pass.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026
Anthony Edwards became the third-youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career points, when the Minnesota Timberwolves star swished a 13-foot fadeaway jumper from the baseline midway through the fourth quarter against Cleveland on Thursday night.
—CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026
The sophomore forward swished back-to-back three-pointers to kick off the second half at Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock.
—Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 9 Dec. 2025
The ball swished through the net at the buzzer.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 Oct. 2025
Dresses swished and dress shoes clacked against the floor as couples danced for bragging rights in one of the biggest celebrations of Black culture in KC.
—Alexa Stone
updated October 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2025
There was plenty of experimentation, too, seen via the shimmering tops in punchy shades like Big Bird yellow and flaming vermilion red, and the tinsel skirts that swished in all directions as models walked to a custom soundtrack by the British artist Steve McQueen.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025
The video of serene waves that swished behind the curved stage at the start of Dua Lipa’s concert slowly intensified until the tide became a surge, an appropriate analogy for the pop superstar’s arrival in the US for the first time in more than three years.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swished
Verb
-
The heaters hissed and clanked, let off steam, fogged up the windows.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Dec. 2025
-
Many more dogs licked the cat than the opposite, and more felines ignored, ran away, and hissed at the dog than vice versa.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Their wings, a bit weighted down by water, flapped as the float rolled.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Jan. 2026
-
Cute flapped cargo pockets on both legs that give them a sportier, slightly edgier vibe.—
Susan Brickell,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The suspect poured gasoline on the girls as well as both officers, flicked a lighter and set the room ablaze.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2026
-
This means that every once in a while, if the wind gusts just right (or wrong), your breath may still get flicked up onto your glasses.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The kids were up at daybreak, congregating beneath the parachute, having already swung on the rope swing, picked on one another, cried a little, and gotten into a cooler of sodas.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Today, however, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction.—
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Time,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Their usefulness remains an open question At the back of a conference hall at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas, a humanoid robot twitched through a preprogrammed wave for a crowd of cell phone cameras—a classic scene of high spectacle and unclear utility at CES.—
Eric Sullivan,
Scientific American,
6 Jan. 2026
-
As the drugs flowed, Randolph's eyes were closed and his face twitched slightly.—
DAVID FISCHER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
21 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Whether Moore’s strands are banged, bobbed, buzzed, permed or waved, she will always be known for her long, jet-black hair.—
Jackie Fields,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Above the crowd, posters still bobbed.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Major League Baseball wagged a finger with one hand and palmed gate receipts and a new TV deal in the other.—
Jeremy Collins,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
-
The once-weak puppy woke up with new energy—and even wagged her tail for the first time.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Aisha jerked and opened her eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The two stood nose-to-nose on the field when the Steelers player grabbed onto Chase’s facemask, jerked his head and appeared to punch him.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
16 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Swished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swished. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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